Re: [amsat-bb] AO-10 pass 02-21-01

[Jim Walls <k6ccc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Frank A Cahoy wrote:

> I've just come from the shack and for nearly an hour (1610 UTC until LOS
> at 1700 UTC) trying to hear and hopefully work AO-10.  I hope this is not
> a case of pilot error.  I was unable to hear even the slightest sign of
> any activity in the entire bandpass nor could I hear my own down link.
> It was working reasonably well yesterday.  Of course, the usual fading
> was present but the times between QSB periods was "normal" for this bird
> in its present condition.  I tried to hear the beacon but again nothing.
> It appears that AO-10 was graveyard dead.  I'm using IT V1.5 and
> therefore I don't think I was on at the wrong time.  Anyone else who was
> on trying like I was and found the same situation??  Thanks for the
> bandwidth.

I have good news!  At 0700z 2/22/01 I tried to listen to AO-10.  At that time
AO-10 was about 25,000 KM over the west coast of Chile which put it 27,000 KM
from me and only 2 degrees above my horizon.  I first dialed up the beacon
and it was quite readable (about how I would have expected at that
distance).  I then dialed up about 10 KHz above the bottom of the transponder
and sent some CW,  which I was shortly thereafter able to find.  The signal
was fairly weak, but I would expect that because of the distance and low
elevation.
I will check it again in the morning (about 1400z) when the elevation will be
much higher.

73
-----------------------
Jim Walls - K6CCC
k6ccc@amsat.org
http://home.earthlink.net/~k6ccc/
626-302-8515    FAX  626-302-7501
AMSAT member 32537 / WSWSS member 395


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